Feather Reign
by Reillusioned
Summary: The battle with Jyoka is over and it seems like time for a rest. But when Kibi finds out that her big sister isn't coming back, all hell breaks loose. Never underestimate the lolita. [Storyline continuation: noncanon pairings and swearing.]


(A/N) 

Warning: May contain spoilers for the entire series of Houshin Engi as well as nuts. A continuation of the HE storyline, with a few home-grown twists. ;D You're probably better off not reading if you aren't familiar with the series, though there is somethingof an explanation below. As it's a continuation, there are spoilers abound, so watch out. 

Omigod. It's a continuation fic. Centered on Kibi. What the hell is wrong with me? But don't worry, there are more charcters to come. They're just hiding in the backround. They'll get there eventually. 

_Canon: -Ko Kibi's true form is a bird with control of time. -Dakki became a Mother-or-all and integrated with this world. -The Shinkai was not aware the Fukki had regenerated, but Bukichi and Suupuu now know this. -Touching one of Kibi's feathers means being flung backwards in time until you reach a point on nonexistence. Fanon: -Roushi taught Shinkouhyou. -Roushi is blind. -Dakki brought Kijin back from Piwa form and gave her a human form again. (Probably canon, never properly explained) My brain: -Kokutenko is a girl. XD -Only Fukki, Suupuushan and Bukichi (as well as Roushi and Shinkouhyou) know what happened to Dakki. To the reast of the Shinkai she just dropped off the map. -Kijin never told Kibi that Dakki has disintegrated, afraid that she'd freak out. -Bukichi and Suupuu have only now given up on finding their master and have decided to return to the Shinkai. -Nataku and Raishinshi ran away from Shinkai to raise Tenshou together. -The youkai form that Kibi has already shown was only her demi form, akin to Kijin's use of lute strings or Dakki's suddenly appearing fox ears. -Kibi's true form is actually ridiculously powerful. -Sendou in the Shinkai cannot sense those on Earth_

Canon:

-Ko Kibi's true form is a bird with control of time.

-Dakki became a Mother-or-all and integrated with this world.

-The Shinkai was not aware the Fukki had regenerated, but Bukichi and Suupuu now know this.

-Touching one of Kibi's feathers means being flung backwards in time until you reach a point on nonexistence.

Fanon:

-Roushi taught Shinkouhyou.

-Roushi is blind.

-Dakki brought Kijin back from Piwa form and gave her a human form again. (Probably canon, never properly explained)

My brain:

-Kokutenko is a girl. XD

-Only Fukki, Suupuushan and Bukichi (as well as Roushi and Shinkouhyou) know what happened to Dakki. To the reast of the Shinkai she just dropped off the map.

-Kijin never told Kibi that Dakki has disintegrated, afraid that she'd freak out.

-Bukichi and Suupuu have only now given up on finding their master and have decided to return to the Shinkai.

-Nataku and Raishinshi ran away from Shinkai to raise Tenshou together.

-The youkai form that Kibi has already shown was only her demi form, akin to Kijin's use of lute strings or Dakki's suddenly appearing fox ears.

-Kibi's true form is actually ridiculously powerful.

-Sendou in the Shinkai cannot sense those on Earth

Shinkouhyou sat calmly atop the huge white cat, staring at one of the most powerful beings in his- or any- world.

Roushi just kept snoring.

Repressing his irritation as only he can, Shinkouhyou ran a gloved thumb along the raikouben. "Taijou-Roukun, I've a question for you and I'm not overly fond of directing questions at corpses." He said, staring at the sleeping master through lidded eyes. He raised the super-paopei above his head with the same smile painted on his face, though it was more stretched.

Before he could send a lightning bolt at his former master, a sparrow landed on his shoulder, a sigh coming from its mouth.

"You're so annoying! Can't you leave a tired old man alone?" Whined the sparrow, using Roushi's voice. "Only last month you dragged me all the way into the atmosphere to do battle with an Ancestor. Can't you at least let me recover from that?"

Shinkouhyou's face twitched slightly. "Roushi, the only thing you did in that battle was to serve as a shield."

"And look where it got me." Mumbled the now upright sennin, floating a few feet in front of Shinkouhyou and rubbing his eyes. Yawning, he turned back to his one-time disciple.

"My Taida suit! Broken! Broken and useless!" Eyes still closed, he turned his face upwards, lamenting his loss.

Smile now more sincere, the white-haired doushi looked evenly at Roushi. "But surely the freedom of history and salvation of the planet are worth your Taida suit?"

"Not if I lose any sleep." Insisted Roushi, blinking as he moaned.

Kokutenko watched in awe as two of the most powerful beings in existence discussed the value of sleep.

"But Shinkouhyou…" She said as she looked up. "Weren't you going to ask Taijou-Roukun something?"

Shinkouhyou blinked and hit his palm with his fist. "Of course! Thank you Kokutenko!" Pointing a finger at the green-haired sennin, Shinkouhyou smiled a smile to give young children nightmares.

"As you happen to be something of a know-all see-all, I was wondering if you'd care to tell me where the next show is."

Staring catlike at his mental opponent, Roushi raised his eyebrows. "The next show?"

"Of course!" Kokutneko's rider shrugged. "Now that history has its own path, I'll need to find my own entertainment as it happens."

Somehow, despite how much he treasured his calories, Roushi managed to find the energy to glare at Shinkouhyou. "Very well." He said snidely. "For a dose of entertainment, try just inside the Shinkai." A languid smile came to rest on his face. "That should entertain even you, you uppity doushi." Yawning with satisfaction, he turned and drifted slowly away. "Now let me get some sleep, or so help me-"

"Sleep, Taijou-roukun?" Said Shinkouhyou. His face held a smile much like Roushi's own, with much more malice. "You won't be getting any of that! You're coming with me, after all!"

Kokutenko sweatdropped as she carried a calmly yammering Shinkouhyou and and gently snoring Roushi up towards the Senninkai.

(-)

"Hello Suupuushan!" Came the cry. Suupuu froze, not daring to turn around. Behind him, it turned out, was not the source of the call.

"Kibi, NO!"

i Whoomph. /i

Suupuu now held three times the weight he'd been carrying. Bukichi was barely holding on to his tail, holding tightly for his life. Kibi had landed on his neck and was playing with his hair while saying 'Loli!' over and over again. Kijin sat behind her sister, looking dazed and slightly annoyed. "So, back in the Shinkai?" She said, dusting herself off.

As Suupuushan was still being held hostage to Kibi's hair-braiding whims, Bukichi answered instead. "We just came through the portal." He said with a wide smile. "We didn't even stop by the Houshindai, because we've got some news for Youzen-sama!"

Kijin closed her eyes, looking bored. "And what would that be?"

"Oshishou-sama is still alive!" Said Bukichi triumphantly.

"Taikoubou?" Said Kijin with sceptisism. "I heard Venus moaning about that. Didn't he die in the battle with Jyoka?"

"We think that Dakki brought him back, like she did with you. Only on a larger scale." He paused, noticing Kijin's sudden, panicked look.

"Dakki-neesan?" Said Kibi, suddenly all ears. Kijin stiffened and looked pleadingly at Bukichi.

"Dakki-neesan brought somebody back? Is she still around?" The expression on her face made Bukichi's heart ache.

"No, Kibi-san, Dakki brought your sister back after she was turned to a piwa-" Kijin had grabbed him and covered his hand with her mouth, laughing a little too loudly. "Oh, Bukichi-san, what a joke…" Suupuushan, however, couldn't see the goings on taking place on his back, thus continued. "But that was all after she disappeared, right? I mean, after she became a Mother-of-all…"

"Da… Dakki? She's not coming back?" Tears were spilling down the girl's cheeks, her collar already damp.

Whispering to Kijin, Bukichi's face looked worried for the first time in a long time. "You never told her?" Hyperventalating, the younger sister spared him a glance before returning her terrified gaze to her sibling. "Do you have any idea what'll happen now?" She hissed. "Kibi can't even imagine being without Dakki. Dakki brought us together, and in her mind without our sister we'll fall apart. She'll panic, and you've seen what happens when she panics…"

Realization slowly dawned on the tennen. "Her true form… It's a bird, right?"

Even as he spoke, a ghastly wail came forth from the girl's mouth. Sobbing uncontrollably, she turned towards the sky and bellowed her grief.

"What did you tell her instead?" Yelled Suuupuushan over the din. Kijin's eyes were screwed closed, and for a while she gave no indication of having heard. "I said that her sister was going away for a while. I was hoping she'd forget to ask how long."

Bright gold feathers seemed to come out of nowhere, whirling around the four like a blizzard. Unlike the ones that Suupuushan had already seen, these were tipped with green as opposed to solid gold. This did little to ease his fear, as at least before he would have known to avoid them. Now, however, he was afraid that some may have already touched him before he had time to react. Was he already getting younger, and couldn't feel it?

Turning around, he saw what was keeping them safe. Kijin had unfurled her hagoromo and was using it to shield them, much like Youzen had done in the first instance. However, with less fabric to work with she was having trouble keeping up, and had to keep twirling the cloth. It was only a matter of time before she made a mistake. If Suupuushan died while Kibi was still unconsolable, all four would plummet to the ground…

(-)

"Youzen…" Said Nentou, opening the door. "We've sensed a huge discharge of energy just inside the portal to Earth.

His dramatic news was lost, however, as the leader of the Shinkai lay dozing with his head on his paperwork. Nentou twitched slightly and resisted the urge to set his leader on fire. "YOUZEN." He said louder. Jerking awake, the youkai looked blearily around. "Ne… Nentou. I was just…" Looking down for the first time and noticing the imprint made by his own face, he bit his lower lip. "Er. Signing some documents?" Nentou sighed.

"Youzen-sama, massive amounts of sennin energy have just been discharged right inside the warp zone to Earth. I was wondering whether there is a course of action that you would recommend."

The genius doushi winced. The fake formality meant that he was in trouble. Big trouble. "Does Choukei know?" He asked.

The look Nentou gave him had the force of the Bankohan. "Youzen-sama, every i waking /i sendou is aware of it. The only difference is that a few may be able to pinpoint it's source."

After lowering his head at 'waking', Youzen's head snapped back up. "The source? Is it a specific sendou?"

Nentou nodded carefully, no longer frigid. "It isn't one of the resident sendou, and the power levels are huge."

"Who is it? Nataku? Shinkouhyou?" His blood turned cold. "Dakki?"

The look Nentou gave him looked very, very similar to pity. "I haven't sensed this energy since before Ou Eki died. Specifically, since the fight between Kibi and Taikoubou."

Youzen's blood turned to solid ice. "Since… Si-"

"I can't tell which one it is." Hurried Nentou. "I can only tell you the last time I sensed it."

Youzen smiled a weary smile, and suddenly looked far older. "Of course. It must be Kibi. Suusuu died with Jyoka…"

Sighing heavily, Nentou interrupted Youzen's reverie. "Sir, please understand that this is bad news for multiple reasons." At his leader's surprised look, he went on. "Ko Kibi's true form-"

"Is a chicken, Nentou." Youzen cut in, foul look on his face.

"Not quite." The flame-haired sennin stated. "A very special chicken, if you remember. One with the ability to turn back time?"

"Oh." Said Youzen, staring into space.

"Shit."

b Bloopers/b

i "Dakki-neesan?" Said Kibi, who stopped playing house with Suupuu to listen. Kijin stiffened and looked pleadingly at Bukichi.

Turning around, he saw what was keeping them safe. Kijin had unfurled her hagoromo and was using it to play jump rope.

"Youzen-sama…" Said Nentou, opening the door. "We've sensed a disturbance in the force."

His dramatic news was lost, however, as the leader of the River lay dozing with her head on her paperwork. Ongaku twitched slightly and resisted the urge to set his leader on fire. "REI." He said louder. Jerking awake, the kunoichi looked blearily around. "On… Ongaku. I was just…" Looking down for the first time and noticing the imprint made by her own face, he bit his lower lip. "Er. Signing some documents?" Ongaku sighed.

/I


End file.
